This application has subject matter in common with U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 10/883,747 (Fiber Optic light kits for footwear); 11/094,215 (LED Night light with Liquid optics medium); 11/255,981 (Multiple light source Night Light); 11/498,881 (Poly Night light); 11/527,631 (LED Night light with interchangeable display unit); 11/498,874 (Area Illumination for LED night light); 11/527,629 (Time Piece with LED night light); 11/527,628 (Multiple Function Night light with Air Freshener).
The inventor's prior art U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,926,440, 6,158,868, 6,170,958, 6,171,117, 6,280,053 conductor arrangements for a night light, and multiple function night lights incorporated with time pieces. In addition, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,947,291, 5,495,402, 5,662,408, 5,713,655, 5,803,579, 5,816,682, 5,833,350, 5,893,626, 5,998,928, 6,000,807, 6,010,228, 6,031,958, 6,033,087, 6,056,420, 6,132,072, 6,160,948, 6,161,910, 6,183,101, 6,190,017, 6,290,368, 6,337,946, 6,386,730, 6,390,647, 6,00,104, 6,411,524, 6,431,719, 6,509,832, 6,523,976, 6,550,949, 6,609,812, 6,623,416, 6,641,289, 6,648,496, and 6,709,126 all show different light sources and applications. However, none of these prior patents teaches an LED night light incorporated with more than one optics means to provide pretty light effects with a nice photometric arrangement close to that of a traditional incandescent bulb's night light, accent light or floor light.
All existing LED night lights have the big problem that the LED unit has too strong brightness and yet can be seen by a viewer only along narrow viewing angle. The result is a spot-light effect (super bright over a small area). The current invention uses multiple (more than one) optics means to make a big improvement with respect to the spot-light effect by providing linear or area brightness out of the LED unit, changing the spot-light effect to a nice looking fluorescent tube like effects. It is very difficult to use only one optics means to change the strong spot-light effect of the LED unit(s) into nice and warm light effects. This is a big improvement in the LED night light. The current invention further adds some other arrangements such as reflectors), bubble(s), or lens(es) within any of the optics means to increase the effects changing the narrow viewing angle of the LED(s) into linear or area light effects.
Furthermore, the current invention solves another LED night light problem involving the size of the night light. The most popular night light currently in the marketplace has a length of around 88 mm+/−50 mm (with base), The lens height is around 60 mm+/−30 mm (without base). The height from the wall outlet cover is around 35 mm+/−15 mm (from outlet cover surface). If the LED unit is placed at the same location of the outlet cover surface, the distance from the wall to the outside of the lens will be only less than 35 mm+/−15 mm, which is too short to change the spot-light of the LED into a surface or area photometric or lighted area. This problem is solved by using two optics means to get a good surface or area lighted effect. This will be the best because the LED night light power consumption falls within the range 0.3W+/−100% per LED, whereas the power consumption of an incandescent. bulb night light falls within the range 4 Watt+/−50% per bulb. More widespread acceptance of the LED night light will result in big power savings and reductions in the monthly electricity bill for consumers.
The current invention not only provides a simple function LED night light, but the excellent light performance may be extended to night lights with other features or functions such as an outlet adaptor, motion sensor, PIR sensor, air freshener, second light, bug repellent, sonic repellent or any combination thereof, so that all LED night lights can have a nice light performance with more than a single function.